Monday, March 2, 2009

Motivation Monday

Inspire: to have an animating effect upon, especially to stimulate or impel to some creative effort

There are lots of ways to get inspired. One that we will explore this week is by identifying people whose lives inspire us.

I want you to think of someone who is living the life you would like to live. Come up with as many examples as you can. Write down their names and then write down what it is about their life that you admire and aspire to. They can be people you know, people who have lived in centuries past, or people living today that you only know about from reading about them. The amazing thing you need to realize is that your dreams are not unattainable or impossible. Someone has or is right now, living the life you dream of. I made such a list many years ago and I had an eclectic list of dead illustrators, writers, living painters and potters. What inspired me most about their lives was their dedication to their craft, their hard work, their lifestyle, their determination (all had overcome obstacles to achieve their dreams), the quality of their art and the fact that they made a living from their art. Try to get to know as much about their lives as you can. You will be encouraged to see that ordinary folks can achieve the life that you dream of.

Maybe you are the only one in your family or in your circle of friends to have the dreams you do. Looking to real life examples of people who have blazed a trail similar to the one you wish to be on will be an inspiration to you. May this list truly inspire you, as in 'have an animating effect upon you, especially to stimulate or impel you to some creative effort'! Keep this list handy and refer to it often. When you are feeling discouraged, take the time to really soak in the reality that others have done what you wish to do and your dreams are possible.

I also encourage you to use this exercise as a way to gain insight. By reviewing their lives, can you see areas where you could improve? I'll bet the people who inspire you had dogged determination. Do you think that you give up too easily? What about their work ethic? I'll bet that no matter what was going on in their lives, they found a way to do their work. Were they patient? None of the people on my list were overnight successes, they were in it for the long haul. You get the idea.

Bottom line, you are not the only one to aspire to the dreams that you do. Others have shown that it is possible. Remind yourself of this as often as necessary. Such knowledge can be the motivation required to keep pressing on.

That's it for this week. Your feedback is most welcome. Why not write a comment and share whose life inspires you?

Teresa Mallen CPSA

Welcome to my blog. I am a coloured pencil artist and instructor in Ottawa, Canada. My art is primarily a celebration of nature (although I do create abstracts occasionally). You can expect to see my works in progress here, to read about my life as an artist as well as snippets that reflect my love for the land, nature and the growing of food. Every now and again I post pictures of my wonderful goats and chickens. If you are passionate about art please join in the fun and please feel welcome to leave comments. I look forward to meeting you! I sincerely hope you enjoy your visit.

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